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it’s finally here. we will leave michigan tomorrow to an unknown destination. well, that’s not exactly true, but i like the way it sounds! we’ll be heading to the motherland for an unknown period of time…and that is exactly true. it’s time. many things are lining up for us to make this transition, and most importantly, we want to be there. with my dad gone, the family heart strings are tugging pretty tightly.
there are so many unknowns like: will our building ever sell? can i really get a job? are we really going to be able to go to school in the fall? what happens when/if we change our course?
those are just the tip of the iceberg. i have so many more fears, desires, questions i need to process. i’m looking forward to sharing some of that uncanny childhood of mine with my husband. sure we’ve been for visits before, but i don’t know that he really knows what it is to be texas. i’m looking forward to the rediscovery myself.
so here’s to new adventures…
…and blogging from TEXAS!
The waiting is palpable. I thought by now I would have an answer. But alas, more waiting.
Despite the fact that we are supposed to receive an offer on our house on Thursday, I have continued to arrange and rearrange the little things. This time it was the one shelf with “knick knacks” on it. While cleaning out our storage room this past weekend, I came across two photos I thought I had lost in the shuffle.
Five years ago when I first visited Michigan, Brad’s family wanted to let me know exactly what I was getting into and showed me a ton of his childhood photos. When I saw one with daffodils in the background I remembered I had one similar as a child too. The next time I was at my folks place I dug up the old photo and couldn’t believe it really was the same background. Although separated by 1500 miles, our childhoods were not all that different. Our mothers used the same tuperware; our neighborhoods looked eerily similar; we could basically share childhood memories. It’s kind of weird actually.
And now that these photos have proper frames and prominence in our house, I’m not quite sure if it’s not all a little too creepy. We don’t have children nor do we see them in the future, so it seems strange to me to see these two little people on our wall…
I may have just convinced myself to relocate them again!
What a week. I’m not quite sure where all 7 days went. It was a blur for the most part, but fun. We ate lots of cake, laughed hard and cried too. It was an emotional week while we cleaned out my dad’s office, pasted 30+ years of newspaper articles in a scrapbook, organized awards & certificates, hugged people I hadn’t seen since I was little, and pretended to recognize people who knew me.
I haven’t attended many retirement parties, but I think the one we put on was pretty alright. The party on Sunday was just what we needed and the venue was perfect. Everyone ate lots of gumbo, listened to good music and walked down memory lane with my Pop. I think very few other professionals who end a near 40 year career will have so much to show for it. We only displayed about 1/3 of the paraphernalia accumulated over the years, but it was quite something to see all together. Now my poor mother has to figure out where to put all that stuff in her house!
The ladies at my dad’s office also pulled together a lovely good-bye. Only in Texas would you decorate with camo and animals… & have it look appropriate and lovely.
So I’m in the Lone Star state again. This time I’m here to visit family, eat a hell of a lot of good food, and party with my dad as he closes out a 37 year career in law enforcement in this area. But he’s not quite ready to take up the rocking chair just yet. He has one more big adventure planned before he decides to retire his sidearm (if any true Texas law man ever can!)
He decided that he wanted to serve his country and at 57 he joined the Army. Ok, he didn’t exactly join the army, but that’s what he likes to say. He’s signed on to work for a private contractor that sends civilians with unique skills to Iraq and Afghanistan to aid the military in a variety of ways. He will be going as an investigative expert and basically continue to solve crimes. And he’ll do this for the next 12 months. There’s obviously quite a few more details, but I’m still uncertain about how this new chapter will play out here in my little nook of cyberspace.
But before he ships out we are having a big ol’ texas size retirement party complete with bar-b-que and good beer. And I couldn’t show up down here empty handed. Because my Pop is a music man (his own band is playing at his retirement party) I thought I would make him something he could use, especially with the gift my mom got him: The Martin Backpacker Guitar. I couldn’t think of a better gift than that guitar. I think the emotional value that a little music, entertainment and taste of home will bring to the battalion of soldiers he’s stationed with will far outweigh any monetary price or physical weight. B & I have the backpacker guitar and we really like how light and portable the thing is. That said, I decided to make a custom strap for the thing, and since Camo is the chic color palate this season in combat zones, I figured I would give in and go with the trend!
Looking at it now, I wish I had embroidered something special on it, but I guess I can always make a new one and send it to him at Christmas.
It’s going to be a whole week of gifts. I’m also working on a mini family look-book (to remind him just how crazy we all are and that he may want to reconsider coming home! ) I’m also celebrated two very good family friends who are going to be mommas and one of them real soon! We’ve also got a formal ceremony to attend today at the court house and an informal office party on Friday and then the big kahuna on Sunday.
Needless to say I’ll be busy and trying to get in as much quality time as possible. He deploys on the 22nd of this month…just over a week now.
We spent the afternoon apple picking yesterday. There was a nice break in the rainy fall weather, so we took advantage of the opportunity. I can’t think of a better way to say hello to October.
{We used our booty to try our hand at apple dumplings, Mmmm…..}
:: sweet summer days in september ::
:: goofing around with husband ::
:: sunsets over the water ::
:: scent of fresh towels ::
:: sound of laughter ::
:: tan feet ::
After four years I still find the ubiquitous kissing dutch people amusing and worthy of a little snicker. My husband who is originally from this area has been ‘adjusting’ the iconic couple since he was little. I love that every time we go to his grandmother’s cottage, he makes sure that she knows he was there.
So we just couldn’t pack up our last Labor Day at the cottage without his usual signature. I’m 31, I’ve seen him do it for 5 years now… and I still think it’s funny.
We said good-bye to summer today. And we did it with perfect weather: 80 and sunny. The lake was a buzz with people taking their final runs on skis, wake-boards, and tubes. Others were pulling out the docks and boat lifts. I’m always surprised at how many people see Labor Day as something of an end. I guess because where I’m from it’ll be hot until January, Labor Day has always been just a nice long weekend right after school started. But here in Michigan, it is the impetus of the changing seasons. Although we will still have sunny, warm days, something is different. Folks are preparing for their impending hibernation and subsequent absence from unscheduled community activity. Maybe that’s why Labor Day is special; it is the last time for neighborhood bar-b-q’s, impromptu card games, bonfires in swimsuits, lounging on the boat, and staying out past dark. It is, in essence, the last hurrah.
it’s my mother-in-law’s birthday and she already has everything. i thought about picking up something that smells good or more kitchen utensils, but i feel weird when i don’t hand-make my gifts. but the poor woman has had to suffer through quilts, bags, jewelry and other things I’ve crafted. but this latest idea is a combination of picking up something already made and customizing it. i tried my hand had “glass etching” with Armour Etch. it’s a cream that you apply to glass and five minutes later, a personalized gift. and because I’m southern i think everything is better monogrammed.
this could get addicting.
i’ve been away for a bit. visiting with one of my best-est friends, taking a train across the country and then driving back with my mom, and hanging out in the windy-city with my sis. i also leave for a backpacking trip in the rockies this weekend. i love summer.
my sister-in-law and i share july birthdays and so tonight we went to dinner and celebrated getting older wiser. and i was really pleased with the necklace i created for her. she was too.
When I leave Texas, I always go home with way more than what I started, but this may have been my best score yet. My visit could not have been better.
I know. I’m obsessing about food. But when it’s a thousand degrees outside, what else are you going to do other than stay inside and eat? Visiting my family always delights my palate in a way no other place in the country can. You mix a little nostalgia with unexpected spices and a little humidity and you’ve got a fantastic meal. Friday night we celebrated being alive and together at a fabulous restaurant called Suga’s and Saturday we topped off a movie with martinis and tapas at a laid back old house.
Friday: Pan-Seared Tilapia stuffed with Lump Crab, topped with a Shrimp Cream Sauce, served with Herb Risotto and Seasonal Vegetables; cheesecake; white wine
Saturday: Grey Goose L’Orange Cosmo; ceviche – shrimp & fish, marinated in lime juice served with homemade chips; fresh hummus on homemade pita chips; goat cheese medallions of cheese drizzled with basil pesto, cayenne honey and mango poblano sauces
There may not be much landscape, and it’s too damn hot, but the best part of SE Texas is the food. Imagine the best of Southern, Cajun, and Mexican cuisine and you’ve got a culinary cultural explosion manifested on your plate. Visiting here always makes me want to cook too a little more too. And mostly I love that food itself is used in SE Texas as a verb. It’s healing, it’s hospitality, it’s love. And most of it is to die for!
photos via
see for yourself
today is our 5 year anniversary. hooray!
we ran into some friends the other day that knew it was our anniversary this week. they then asked how long we had been married. brad quickly retorted, “long enough to finally get some respect.”
so here’s to being a repectable married couple.
We leave tomorrow morning to go to the cottage for the weekend. I can’t wait to enjoy the sun, food, and fishing! (And this year, no sweatshirts!)
after last week’s craziness, i’ve decided to catch my breath a bit. tomorrow i’m going to stay home and catch up on some much needed crafting. i will however, head back over to the attic to finish the tile job that I began last week. i tiled the entire shower by myself and now i need to grout it. my hubby is kind enough to give me the day off; well, after he saw all the trouble i went to last week for his party. i of course made it more work than what it should have been, but it’s what i do i suppose.
here are a few photos from the big day.
Well…it was my hubby’s big day. 3-0. And because I’m a glutton for punishment I threw a surpise party. I have been working my ass off this week trying to keep things on the down low and tonight it did pay off. I am so lucky to be married to my wonderful husband. I now need to crash.
with family in from texas, we had to show them how to have fun in the snow. shopping, snowmobiling, frozen-chicken bowling…the usual.
last week i was confined to the indoors because I injured my back. I officially feel like an old lady now. my back is feeling much better and I was able to leave the house a bit this weekend. it snowed almost constantly from friday to sunday night. it was quite lovely to watch it fall to the deserted streets. my sis came into town for a spur of the moment get-a-way and we pretty much just read, played games, and watched a movie. it was perfect. (except the part when i slipped on the ice…not so fun.)
this picture doesn’t do this meal justice. we cooked “stuffed steak pinwheels”. it’s flank steak with spinach, feta, bacon, thyme, & tomatoes. yum. email me for the recipe; it’s a little long. i know i shouldn’t eat red meat, but who could resist something this good????
Well this is just more affirmation that B is headed into the right profession. I love that he was sitting with me when we visited the fantastic blog SwissMiss, so that we could both crack up together. (FYI, he hears back from Architecture Schools in February.)
(Originally uploaded from here, who got it from here, who got it from here)
Why is it that no matter what your sister has you want it? It’s just like when we were kids and I could go to her closet and her clothes were infinitely better than whatever was in mine. I think it’s always interesting (and ironic) that people think I’m the “crafty” one in the fam, but the truth is my sis is the creative one. Yes, I may just be the crafty one — replicating other people’s ideas and gluing scraps of garbage together, but she is the professional. (Not really; and that’s what makes it worse!) I look like Holly Hobby compared to her. All of her “projects” look like they just fell out of Architectural Digest or House Beautiful. She’s most recently put her creative energy into redecorating her house. The the two trees I posted yesterday were both in her house for the holidays. Here’s a glimpse into her world. (I’m digging the new lamps in the fireplace!)
What a week. We pulled off a successful surprise by flying in to see my family undetected. There was a substantial amount of fibbing going on for the last two weeks and it was all worth it. It was so wonderful to see my family, but it was not wonderful to be in 78 degrees with 91% humidity! Yuck.
There are lots of changes around here. I now have a lot more time on my hands and a to-do list that’s growing.
I know you miss that hair.
So sad to see her go :: Glad she is finally at Peace
1919 – 2008
